Sam
by bionic4ever
Summary: CLYG3: Who is Sam Argus?
1. Chapter 1

**Sam**

Chapter One

Steve sat beside Jaime's hospital bed, watching her while she slept and re-playing the day over and over in his head. Too much drama for one day, he thought to himself; too much drama for a lifetime!

Michael's obsession with Jaime had driven him to escape from the exclusive, private mental hospital he'd been sent to six months earlier when he'd nearly killed her. This time, his plans had been so sinister, so ...truly insane - Steve couldn't bear to think about what had nearly happened. Michael had been re-captured just moments from tragedy, and Jaime was safe and resting, under heavy sedation, while the effects of the drug that paralyzed her wore off.

She had been rescued by Doctor Sam Argus, director of Argus Institute, Michael's place of confinement. He'd injected her with an antidote, and when Oscar, Rudy and Steve had arrived with the Medivac chopper, Jaime could speak again and had some movement in her arms. Steve couldn't begin to express his gratitude that she'd been saved, but one picture refused to leave his mind. When he'd come running into the tiny room where she'd been held captive, Jaime's arms were around her rescuer, and Sam held her close, caressing her face as he brushed away her tears. Ok, maybe it was all to comfort her, but she was gazing into the newcomer's eyes with a look Steve had thought was reserved just for him. The sparks he could see flying between them were definitely not sparks of gratitude.

Steve shook his head, trying to lose those thoughts and the image. Jaime was alive, and she was safe. How could he possibly be anything but grateful?

"How is she, Pal?" Oscar, his face looking time-worn and sympathetic, pulled up a chair and sat down.

"Rudy's keeping her sedated for now, 'til she can fully move again. She been through too much trauma already without having to deal with paralysis too. Probably another 24 hours or so."

"What about you?"

"I'm ok," Steve told him.

"Have you slept at all in the last three days?" Steve didn't answer. "When did you eat last?"

"Yesterday morning. Oscar, I'm alright - really."

"Why don't you go grab something to eat? I'll stay with Jaime."

"Thanks, but I don't think I could leave her right now."

"Can I at least bring you something? How 'bout a sandwich?"

"Coffee'd be great."

"I'll be right back," Oscar told him. On his way to the commissary, he passed Rudy, who was standing in the hall talking to Sam Argus.

"Doctor Argus -" Oscar began.

"Sam is fine."

"Sam. Thank you again for saving our girl." Oscar reached out to shake his hand. He gave Sam a smile of deep appreciation, and for a few seconds, Oscar's eyes were drawn to the younger man's face. There was something so familiar - he could feel it more than see it - but nothing Oscar could identify. "Thank you," he repeated, and continued down the hall.

Sam watched him until he was out of sight and then turned back to Rudy. "Marchetti won't even see sunlight for a very long time, probably until we release him to the prison. And we've placed an armed guard outside his cell 24 hours a day. He'll have no further opportunities to even contact Jaime - not at my hospital; not on my watch."

"Wonderful - thank you, Sam," Rudy said.

"How's Jaime doing?"

"Her condition's still very serious. No sign of any movement in her legs or feet. I'll be keeping her sedated at least another day or two, until we know more. And hopefully by then she'll have regained full movement."

"Ok if I see her?"

"Of course. You're the reason she's here instead of..." his voice trailed off. "Room four, just down the hall."

"Thanks, Rudy."

Oscar brought Steve his coffee and promised to return in the morning. Sam passed by him in the hallway on the way to Jaime's room. Steve overcame exhaustion enough to stand and shake Sam's hand. The two men - unsure at this point if they were to be friends or rivals - took chairs on the opposite sides of the bed and settled in, wordlessly, for the night.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

In spite of his determination, Steve was unable to be there when Jaime was taken off the sedative and allowed to wake up. He'd been without sleep for four days and hadn't eaten in almost two when he got out of his chair and collapsed. He was admitted as a patient immediately and given a room next to Jaime's. At the same time that Jaime was beginning to regain consciousness, Steve was put under sedation and unable to leave his bed.

As she came closer to surfacing, Jaime began calling Steve's name. When she opened her eyes, though, the face that smiled down at her and the hand that held hers didn't belong to Steve; they were Sam's.

"Hello, Beautiful," he said softly.

"Where's Steve?"

"He was here all of last night and most of today, but Rudy felt it was time for him to rest."

"Is he alright? What happened?"

"Apparently he hadn't slept in awhile, wasn't eating," Sam chose his words carefully, trying not to scare her. "His body was under a lot of stress, and just gave out. He'll be good as new by tomorrow morning - he just needs some rest."

"I need to see him. Where is he?" Jaime swung her legs off the bed, started to stand and found those legs were unable to hold her. Sam caught her in his arms, breaking her fall. She grabbed him around his waist, trying to regain her balance, and they both held on just a beat too long before he gently eased her back into her bed.

Jaime couldn't take her eyes off his face: so kind and loving. His eyes simply took her breath away. She felt a strange sort of comfort and familiarity when he smiled at her, a connection she couldn't quite place.

"Well, look who's awake!" Rudy came striding into the room. "How do you feel?"

Sam had been briefed on Jaime's bionics when she was kidnapped. He answered for her. "She's got some movement back in her legs, but when she tried to stand up - against medical advice - they wouldn't hold her. If they're electronic, why would the drug be affecting them?"

Rudy smiled at Jaime and began checking her over as he answered. "It can't affect the actual electronics, but the drug he gave her attacks the central nervous system, which is enmeshed with the circuitry that controls her limbs."

"So in effect, the limbs are now actual parts of her body." Sam was suitably impressed.

"That's right," Rudy told him. He turned his full attention to Jaime. "Any pain, Honey?"

"No. I just feel really weak and kinda out of it. How's Steve? Can I see him?"

"Steve's fine," Rudy told her. "He'll probably sleep right on through 'til morning. He needs the rest. So do you."

"Isn't that what I've been doing since I got here?"

"Yep - and you need to do it a whole lot more if you want to get your strength back," Rudy said kindly.

"She always this...argumentative?" Sam asked the older doctor.

"Actually, no; she's behaving herself today," he answered with a chuckle.

"Rudy!" Jaime was laughing too.

"I'll see you in the morning, Kiddo - and stay in bed!"

"Aye-aye, Captain," she said with a mock salute.

"I should probably go, too," Sam told her.

"Back to the Institute?"

Sam shook his head. "Place runs itself; that's why I hired only the best."

Jaime grinned. "Just a figurehead, huh?"

"Rudy was right - you are difficult! And I never could resist a challenge. But you're supposed to be resting, remember?"

"I just slept for - what? - 24 hours straight."

"Twenty-six."

"See? One thing I am not right now is sleepy. Besides, you saved my life and I still know absolutely nothing about you." Jaime's eyes met Sam's, and the effect was electric.

Sam sat back in his chair. Even though Jaime had just been to hell and back, she was still the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen. He could've gone on gazing into her eyes forever, but Sam had a different idea.

"Here's everything you need to know," he told her softly as he leaned over the bed. His lips locked onto hers and said everything their eyes could not.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

Jaime woke up the next morning with a smile on her face. Sam had stayed until almost 3am, and while their first kiss had been gentle and hesitant, the intensity had built rapidly until Jaime was sitting on the edge of the bed, completely enveloped in his arms and feeling their kisses in the deepest recesses of her soul.

She also felt a crushing sense of guilt. In his own hospital bed one door down, because he had jeopardized his own health taking care of her, was Steve. She loved him so much, for longer than she could even remember, but she had never felt the way Sam made her feel. She wasn't even sure what the attraction was: passion, new-ness or a sense of the forbidden. She desperately didn't want to hurt Steve, but how could she even face him, when part of her was longing for another man's touch? Jaime wasn't a cheater; never had been. She didn't have the slightest clue how to handle this.

"Good Morning, Beautiful!" Sam, on the other hand, knew exactly how he wanted to handle it. He swept Jaime out of the bed and into his arms, kissing her long and hard. Her resolve melted to nothing as she grew limp and malleable in response.

"You're standing," he told her when they surfaced for air.

"You must be good luck." Jaime moved closer and let passion take the reins. They were so wrapped up in each other they didn't notice the door opening. Oscar poked his head in and right back out again, closing the door silently.

Oscar turned to Steve, who was right behind him. "Still asleep; we can come back later." Steve returned to his room and Oscar headed down the hall to Rudy's office.

"Good morning!" Rudy said brightly. "Coffee?"

Oscar ignored the question and pulled a chair up to his friend's desk. "Tell me everything you know about Sam Argus."

Rudy raised an eyebrow but asked no questions. "Well, he was top of his class at Harvard, interned at Bellevue and started his own private hospital about five years ago. One of the very best in the business. Why?"

"What's going on with him and Jaime?"

"I'd like to know that, too." Steve stood just inside the office door, his face a mixture of pain and confusion.

"You went in there anyway..." Oscar guessed.

"In where? I'm talking about yesterday, right after he saved her. What are you talking about?" Truth hit him like a physical blow direct to the heart. "Oh no..." He felt a near-compulsion to charge back down the hall and give Sam a little pain of his own, but sat down instead, gripping the arms of the chair as if to anchor himself there.

Steve looked at Oscar. "She wasn't asleep this morning, was she?" Oscar couldn't answer. "How bad was it?" Oscar stared mutely at the floor. "Dammit - don't you think I have the right to know?"

"You definitely need to talk to her, Pal."

"That tells me nothing." Steve's voice lowered to a choking whisper, but he had to find out. "Was he in her bed?"

"No."

"Were the both still dressed? C'mon, Oscar - please! How bad was it?"

_I'm sorry, Jaime_, Oscar thought silently, _but he does have a right..._"It was about as bad as it could get with both of them still fully clothed. I'm sorry, Pal. I could go down there now and throw him out so you can talk to her..."

"I can't see her right now. Rudy, am I discharged yet? I'd really like to go home."

"Yes, that's fine. I'll need to see you tomorrow for a check-up."

"Thank you."

When Steve was gone, Oscar turned to Rudy. "Could I borrow your secretary for an hour or so?"

"Of course; I'll find her and send her in." Oscar nodded his thanks.

The secretary arrived with a steno pad in her hand. "Nothing to dictate," he told her. "I need you to make some phone calls for me. Call the alumni committee at Harvard, personnel at Bellevue and the birth certificates desk at Public Records. Use my name, and tell them I want any and all information they have on Sam Argus. When they call back, page me. I'll be in room four."

"Yes, Sir."

"Thank you."

When Oscar reached Jaime's room, the door was open and she was alone, standing by the window. Oscar closed the door.

"Where's Steve?" Jaime asked him.

"What?" That was one thing he hadn't expected to hear.

"I just went down to see him, and he's gone. All his stuff is gone, too."

"He went home."

"Well, why didn't he -"

"Why don't you get back in bed, where you're supposed to be anyway, and we'll talk."

Jaime complied, and looked at him quizzically. "Your face is awfully grim. You're scaring me, Oscar. What -"

"He knows, Jaime," Oscar told her gently. "Steve knows about you and Sam."

"Oh my God...No...How?"

"We...walked in on you this morning. It looked pretty serious. Is it?"

"No! Maybe...I don't know. Oscar, I'm just so confused!"

Oscar had walked into the room furious, but the tears streaming down her face confused the issue for him, too.

"I've gotta talk to Steve -"

"He's in no shape for that right now, Babe." Oscar looked closely at her face, trying to read what was going on in her head. "Jaime, what does your heart say? Who do you honestly want to be with?"

"Sam is an amazing man, and he makes me feel so alive. But Steve...he's been a part of my life for so long. He's a part of _me_. God, I never meant to hurt him. Things just happened so fast, before I even had a chance to think it all over, and it got so intense...But Steve - knowing I hurt him...it breaks my heart, Oscar. I love him so much. How do I fix this? Is it even possible?"

Oscar's pager began to buzz urgently. He reached out and grasped Jaime's hand. "Give Steve a little time, Babe. He just might surprise you."

"Thanks, Oscar." She smiled at him through the torrent of tears. "Now go answer your phone."


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four

Each phone call Oscar received built upon the one before and added up to a picture that confirmed his suspicions as well as his worst fears. Rudy returned to his office to find his friend bending paper clips into pretzel shapes and scattering them across the desk.

"Oscar?"

"Close the door, please. Rudy, you are not going to believe this..."

Down the hall in room four, Jaime had also spent the morning on the phone, trying to reach Steve. On her first try, she reached his machine. "Steve," she spoke into the machine, willing him to pick up. "It's me. I...really need to talk to you. I love you, and I am so sorry. Please -" Jaime's heart quickened when she heard the receiver being picked up on the other end. "Steve?" Her heart sank lower than before as it was placed back in its cradle with a very resolute **_click_**. She re-rang the number over and over, but he had disconnected the machine. After about an hour, it no longer rang; she got an hour and a half of busy signals. According to the operator, his phone was off the hook.

Oscar found her there, her lunch tray pushed aside, still trying to reach Steve. Dejectedly, she hung up the phone. "Oscar, you're got that look again. Did something happen to Steve?"

"I haven't heard from him, but I do need to talk to you." Jaime waited. "I wasn't exactly honest with you today. Jaime, I walked in on you this morning. Steve was right behind me, but he didn't see anything. I told him you were sleeping."

"Then how -"

"He already suspected something might be happening, but I told him."

"You -"

"Babe, I'm so sorry..."

"You did the right thing, Oscar."

"Excuse me?"

"What I did was wrong," Jaime told him. "What you did...wasn't." Jaime's eyes grew wide and started to tear again. Silently, his face an expressionless mask, Steve had entered the room. Oscar gave an encouraging smile to each of them and quickly left, closing the door to give them some privacy.

Halfway down the hall, Oscar passed Sam, who was heading toward room four. "She doesn't want to see you," Oscar said bluntly. "But I do - **now.**"

Jaime was finding she could barely look at Steve. The anger he radiated - and more than that, the hurt - was palpable, almost visible in the air. "I'm so glad you came back. Steve, I -"

"Jaime, you need to understand something," he said, taking a chair and moving it a distance from her bed before sitting down. "I'm here, but I'm not 'back'. I'll listen to what you have to say, but to be honest, I don't know if it can make any difference."

"That's more than I really deserve, I guess. Steve, you don't know how much I wish this hadn't happened -"

"Makes two of us."

"I'd give anything in the world if I could just take it all back. I hurt the one person who deserved it the least, and I will never forgive myself for that."

"Jaime...do you love him?"

"I don't even know him!"

"Then how did this happen?"

"I don't know. When he stopped Michael from...what he was gonna do, I was so relieved and grateful -"

"And in shock," Steve added.

"I hugged him - for comfort and out of relief, and he must have misread that."

"Or taken advantage of it."

"When he came here to the hospital, I was talking to him about you, about what happened to you, and I didn't realize he was holding me or that I was responding to it until it had already happened."

"Had the sedatives even worn off yet?"

"Don't make excuses for me; I don't deserve that. I have to take the blame, too, Steve - I didn't exactly fight him off."

"You were more vulnerable than you realize, and in physical and emotional shock. You were looking for comfort and he gave you passion instead."

"Steve," she said, unable to hold the tears back any longer, "I'm more sorry than I could ever tell you...I love you...so much. I always will. I...I don't want to lose you."

Steve got out of the chair and moved to her side, clutching her hand tenderly and tightly at the same time. "I don't want that either," he told her softly. "I love you with every fiber of my being. Maybe, when you get out of here, we could take some time away, just the two of us, to see if we can patch this up and make it float again."

"I'd like that." They smiled at each other - tentatively, but it was a start.

At the same time, another confrontation was taking place in Rudy's office. Oscar and Rudy were both boring holes through Sam with their eyes. Oscar got right to the point.

"Who are you?"

"Excuse me?"  
"You heard me. I spoke with Harvard and Bellevue this morning; neither one has ever even heard of you. Matter of fact, you don't even have a birth certificate. Sam Argus does not exist!"

"Are you even a doctor?" Rudy asked.

"Yes - I'm really a doctor. And I did go to Harvard and Bellevue. But you're right - I'm not Sam Argus. My name is Sam Goldman.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five

Oscar's jaw dropped and his face turned white with shock. "Sam...Goldman?"

"Argus is my mother's name: Laurie Argus."

"Laurie...yes, he was dating a girl named Laurie." Slowly the truth hit him and Oscar saw all the pieces falling into place. "It's not possible..." but of course, it was. "Sam would've told me."

"Your brother never knew. When he was sent overseas, my mother was only about four weeks pregnant. She didn't know herself for at least a month after that. Mom tried to get word to him, but -"

"Pearl Harbor," Oscar said, understanding.

"He died before he ever knew about me. Mom said he was a good man, kind, honest, hard-working. From what I've seen, you're just like him."

"You're my - nephew." Oscar didn't notice that Rudy had quietly left the room. "Why are you here now, and not years ago?"

"My mother died about six months atgo -"

"I'm sorry."

"Thanks. You're the only relative I have left still living, and I was hoping for the chance to get to know you. I would've told you the truth when the time was right."

"Well, I'm really glad you found me," Oscar said, rising to embrace his new-found nephew. "And I'd love to get to know you; I don't have any family either."

"You have me."

Oscar smiled. "One iron-clad ground rule, though. Stay away from Jaime Sommers."

"You have a bit of a crush on her yourself, don't you?"

"Irrelevant."

"I've seen how you look at her - I'm a shrink, remember?"

"And I keep secrets for a living. That one, I'll take all the way to my grave."

END


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